Turnouts

I need to buy another left turnout, but before I do, I want some advice. I just re-read through this entire thread. My layout is DC and all of my turnouts are Atlas turnouts with insulated frogs. Typical of insulated turnouts, my small locomotives often stall at slow-medium speeds. While I'm not looking to replace all of them right away, before I purchase another turnout, I would like recommendations on turnouts that should not present stall issues. I would like something that I can run on DC now, or DCC in case I upgrade later (preferably without having to do any wiring), and something where the points will be held firmly in place.

 

I was hoping it wouldn't be that much trouble. If only Atlas wouldn't use so much plastic in the length of the frogs. I don't understand why so much of the frog is plastic instead of just the bare minimum amount necessary to insulate one rail from the other. It could also be that the plastic guard rails (I forget the correct name) just inside the metal rail are too tall and may be lifting the wheels off of the rail head just enough to lose electrical contact. I've heard of others having that problem with Atlas turnouts. I may have to shave those down a bit to see if it helps.
What brand of turnout is best for the points staying firmly to one route or the other?

 

I use a combination of Tortoise switch machines and Caboose Industries ground throws with Atlas turnouts (over 50 of 'em) and have never had any trouble with electrical contact through the points. I have not gone back through this entire thread, but I am wondering whether you are using the Atlas "snap-bang" turnout machines? If so, this may be part of your problem.

GS

 

I had good luck with Walthers DCC Friendly. Remove the spring, solder a wire on the frog for polarity and that's it. I never hooked in the frog wire, because I didn't loose power on the engines I had. Good Luck.

 

Most of my turnouts are the old Atlas snap track turnouts except for two Atlas #6's that I bought about a year ago for each end of my run-around siding. All of my switch machines are the unsightly, long, black, track-side, manual switches. A few of them have terminals for electric switching. I've never gotten into the electrical part nor do I want to/need to. In fact, I'd like to remove the unsightly switch machines and replace them with simple wire springs to hold the points in place. It appears that Peco turnouts have built-in spring mechanisms that hold the points in place. I like that idea a lot. The main turnout problem I have is small locos stalling on the turnouts at slow speeds. I assume it's because of the insulated Atlas frogs. I don't know how to get around that without replacing them with non-insulated turnouts and wiring them. I just I guess I'll just avoid low speeds at turnouts for now. Since I need another left turnout anyway, I think I'm going to buy a Peco and see how I like them. As for my Atlas turnouts, I'm thinking about trying something simply like this (see the video) for now to replace those unsightly switch machines until I find a better solution. I have an old brass turnout to practice on.

 

For a second siding, I may want to put a Peco, code 100 turnout at the end of another Peco, code 100 turnout like this...

However, I'm concerned that there might not be enough room for the second turnout's throws (red) to operate so close up against the mainline track. If there isn't enough room, could I cut off the throw past the ties, closest to the main, and still have the spring work? I don't see why not, but I wanted to ask first.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-11262-0-73335200-1338976877.jpg

 

I'm exploring another option and trying to learn as much as I can about Peco SL-E199 3-way turnouts.
http://www.peco-uk.com/product.asp?strParents=3309,3322&CAT_ID=3327&P_ID=17407
I found some images about wiring here:
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_04_2010/post-6717-127114337944_thumb.jpg
I haven't been able to determine their radii. In any case, my 4-8-2 could stay on the straight route, but I need to know if my SD40-2 and my 9-44CW could take the turnouts... preferably at scale running speed. Does Peco make a longer, electrified, 3-way turnout?

 

The url, which you provided gives a frog angle =12 degrees, which calculates to a number 4.76; the radius given = 36".

 

I don't know how I overlooked that. Thanks for pointing that out.
Meanwhile, I compared the specs of the the Peco SL-99 and the Peco SL-E199:
Nominal radius: 610mm (24in) Angle: 12º Length: 220mm (8 5/8in)
Nominal radius: 914mm (36in) Angle: 12º Length: 273mm (10 ¾in).
I thought curvature was a result of the angle, and that a larger curve meant a lower frog angle, but according to these specs, not necessarily so. I'm still a little puzzled about that.
In other news, I just found http://www.hubdiv.org/articles/frogNumbers.pdf. No wonder I hated Atlas snap switches.

 

If the central angle remains the same, but the length of the curve is shortened, the radius by definition will be smaller.

I know some are quite happy and successful with their track, and they don't give a flip about the gory details about track and turnout geometry. Being a track nerd, I believe that having an understanding of track structure is helpful when sorting out the differences between the various model products.

 

1. Are there any commercially available 3-way, curved turnouts in HO anywhere?
2. Are there any commercially available 3-way, straight turnouts with both diverging tracks on the same side?
(See the attached image.)
I don't have to have them, but they would allow me to increase the length of my storage tracks a little. If not, I will have to stick with my plan to use 2 turnouts in each of the 4 places.

 

The only three way turnouts I've seen have divergent lines on each side, slightly offset, usually having sharp radiuses.

Joe

 

Thanks for the reply. What you described is the only type of 3-way turnout I've seen, but I wanted to ask to be sure.

 

I found photos of three way turnouts on Bing search...







Joe

 

The "Q" called those "lap Switches"